Miranda's Christmas Concert
by mojoman3061
Summary: Miranda wants to be a featured soloist at her swing choir's Christmas concert. This is a big deal for a freshman. Will she pass the audition?
1. Chapter 1

"Hey, guys. I need your advice about something," Miranda said to Lizzie and Gordo.

"Whoa. Sounds serious," Gordo said, noticing the no-nonsense look on Miranda's face.

"Yeah, what's it about?" Lizzie asked.

"Well, they're going to have auditions for Choralettes members to sing solo at the Christmas concert." Miranda was talking about Hillridge High School's swing choir, a small choral group which performed pop music with guitar, bass, keyboards, and drums. Although there'd never been many freshmen in the group, Miranda had made the cut.

"Are you gonna audition?" Lizzie asked, getting excited.

"Do you think I should?"

"Of course, Miranda," Gordo said. "I'm surprised you're even asking that."

"Well, I'm a freshman. There are only a couple of us in Choralettes."

"So? You're a great singer, Miranda. You were the best one in glee club in middle school," Lizzie said. "And I can tell you want to. I can see it in your eyes."

Miranda couldn't stifle a grin any longer. "It _would_ be cool if I made it, wouldn't it?"

"Yes," Gordo said emphatically. "And if you're not chosen this year, the experience of going through the auditions can only be helpful for next time."

"Wow, so you're _my_ life coach now?" Miranda said, her joking tone evidence that she wasn't so worried anymore.

"And it doesn't even involve bowling," Gordo replied, remembering when she'd helped him get over his fear of his fingers swelling and a bowling ball getting stuck on them.

Miranda chuckled and broke into a world-class smile. "You know what? I'm gonna go sign up right now. Thanks, guys." She grabbed both of them in a quick group hug and rushed off, saying, "Wish me luck!" as she left.

"Good luck!" Lizzie and Gordo replied.

Gordo shook his head and chuckled. Lizzie noticed and said, "What?"

"She didn't need advice. She was going to sign up for those auditions the entire time."

Lizzie's eyebrows went up as she realized she agreed with Gordo. "You're right. She just wanted a little cheering on."

"Yep. She's gonna knock 'em dead."

---

Miranda hadn't heard Gordo say she was going to sign up the entire time. She would have agreed with him in principle. She was a little nervous about it, though. High school choral activities were a step or two up from middle school. There were more people who took it seriously in high school, which is what Miranda had hoped for. She was starting to feel at ease with the other choir members.

All of these things ran through her mind as she walked to the building which housed the music program. The choir director had a manila envelope taped to his office door. A student interested in auditioning would write his or her name on a slip of paper and put it in the envelope. It was more private than a signup sheet. That was Miranda's guess as she dropped her slip of paper into the envelope. The concert was in mid December, six weeks away. The auditions for which Miranda was signing up were three weeks away. She had two or three songs in mind; she had some time to narrow it down.

16 Dec 2008


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note: Part of the inspiration for this was christylee's story which had Miranda in Mexico, singing in a cafe. As for my experience with this, I was a music major in a previous life. I was a string player, not a singer, though. Choralettes was the name of the swing choir at my high school. There were 14 singers, all girls, and 4 instrumentalists. One year a sophomore (the youngest class in my 3-year high school) was a member and it was considered unusual._

For the next three weeks, most of Miranda's free time was occupied with preparing for her audition. She'd been taking private voice lessons for some time now, and her voice teacher helped her with some of the finer points. As she knew, most serious high-school-age musicians take private lessons on their instrument. The others auditioning were doing the same thing. The Three Amigos didn't talk about it unless Miranda brought it up. Lizzie and Gordo knew that when Miranda was with them, she wanted to hang out and take a little time off from having that on her mind.

---

Gordo's phone rang. He put his hacky sack aside and answered. "Hello?"

"Hey, Gordo, it's me," Lizzie said. "Miranda's audition's coming up, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it's Thursday."

__

Trust Gordo to know the exact day off the top of his head

, Lizzie thought with a grin. "Oh," she said out loud. "Well, I thought it'd be nice to leave little notes in her locker--you know, to wish her good luck and stuff."

"That's a great idea, McG. We should put our names on them, though, rather than trying to be clever and writing 'Secret Admirer' or 'Anonymous' or something."

"She knows our handwriting, but you're right. She's got enough on her mind."

---

On Thursday morning, Miranda opened her locker to find two notes inside. "Hey Miranda - Good luck today! I know you'll be great!! Lizzie," read the first one. The other one read, "Miranda: Bowling is good, bowling is fun, bowling will not make my fingers swell. Knock down all the pins! Gordo." She smiled and put the notes in one of her books. That way, she'd carry them around all day.

---

The next day in choir class, Mr. Atkinson had an announcement to make. In his forties, with curly, sandy hair getting a little thin on top, he conducted the school's two choirs and Choralettes. "I have the results of the Choralettes Christmas auditions that were held yesterday. First off, thank you to all of you who auditioned. You all obviously worked hard and it was a pleasure to listen to you. I had to narrow it down to three. Before I announce"--he held up his hand to quiet everyone down--"before I announce the three names, how about a round of applause for everyone who audtioned?" Everyone clapped, and a few people shouted "Yeah!" or "Woo!"

"Thank you. Now, the three girls chosen are Megan Richardson, Olivia Anderson, and Miranda Sanchez. Congratulations!"

---

The rest of choir class was more enjoyable for Miranda than usual. A few kids near her gave her thumbs-up and smiles of congratulations as the period ended and everyone started preparing to leave for their next class. On her way out the door, Olivia Anderson caught up to her. "Miranda! I was so glad to hear Mr. Atkinson announce your name as one of the soloists. I love your voice and I'm sure you'll do great!"

"Thanks, Olivia! That means a lot, coming from you," Miranda said, matching Olivia's smile with her own. Olivia, a junior and African-American, was one of the best singers in choir, and one of the nicest.

---

"Hey, is that the jacket you wore at Grubby Gulch?" Gordo asked, noticing Lizzie's blue jean jacket as he caught up with her at her locker.

"Yep. The boots too. It was chilly this morning. By the time school lets out it'll probably warm up and I'll wish I'd worn flip-flops instead."

"Lizzie! Gordo! Guys!"

Lizzie and Gordo turned to see Miranda trotting towards them, looking as excited as she sounded.

"Mr. Atkinson just announced it in choir. He picked three girls to be soloists, and one was Miranda Sanchez!"

The girls screamed--or was "squealed " a better word? Gordo wasn't sure--in delight and happy-danced. Gordo stuck his fingers in his ears in mock horror at the girly outburst, but couldn't stifle a proud smile. He moved in from one side, and Lizzie from the other, to sandwich Miranda in a hug.

"That's great! I'm happy for you and proud of you," he said.

"We both are," Lizzie added as they released from the hug.

"Thanks, guys. I thought it'd be cool to be up there, especially 'cause I'm a freshman and this, like, never happens to freshmen, but there was nothing to lose by trying and doing my best," Miranda said, talking fast out of excitement until she ran out of breath.

"You worked hard for this, and it paid off."

"Thanks, Gordo," Miranda smiled.


	3. Chapter 3

"So, what are you going to sing?" Lizzie asked.

"Mmm ... I think I want to keep that under wraps until the concert. I know Megan Richardson's doing 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree.' Olivia Anderson hasn't told me hers. I'll give you a hint though: It's a classic rock 'n' roll Christmas song from the '60s."

"Okay, I guess. It'll be more fun to be surprised anyway."

---

Each of the soloists had separate rehearsal time with the instrumentalists during the next Choralettes rehearsal. The rest of the Choralettes rehearsed in another room.

The instrumentalists were all capable musicians. Miranda was impressed with the way the guitarist, a senior named Joe West, played the jazz-tinged rockabilly licks in "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree."

"Oh, hey, Miranda," Megan Richardson said. "Is my time up already?"

"No, I'm a little early."

"Megan, we've got time to run through yours one more time, then it's Miranda's turn."

"Okay."

A few minutes later it was Miranda's turn. The guys--all the instrumentalists were male this year--had all gotten CDs from which to learn Miranda's song. It was "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," the original Darlene Love version from 1963.

"Darlene Love sings this on Letterman every year around Christmas, doesn't she?" Joe said.

"Yeah, she does," Miranda said.

"Well, we'll do our best to create a four-man Wall of Sound! Sanchez, count it off!"

Miranda did so--that is, counted "one, two, one-two-three-four" in the tempo that she wanted, so everyone would be together. For rehearsal purposes, she sang facing them. It went well for the first time together. Miranda was awed by the sound around her.

"Yeah, this tempo feels right," Miranda commented when they finished. "Someone's gonna do the sleigh bells, right? A girl in Choralettes?"

"Good. I didn't know how I'd do that and play drums at the same time," said Darius Novotny.

"How about I play twelve-string guitar on this? I think it'll give us a fuller sound."

"You have an electric twelve-string?" Miranda asked, impressed.

"Yeah, I do. Sorry I didn't bring it tonight. I just thought of it."

"That'd be great! Thanks! Oh, can we get Jason Delap to play the bari sax solo?"

"Sure. A twelve-string and Jason," Joe said in a note-to-self voice.

---

Three weeks flew by. Miranda told Lizzie and Gordo what she was going to sing. Olivia Anderson was going to sing "Santa Baby." Miranda was a bit frazzled, but it was a good kind of frazzled.

The Choralettes' performance clothing was black off-the-shoulder gowns rather than choir robes. All the girls looked good in them. In the audience, Lizzie and Gordo, and the Three Amigos's parents, were impressed. Their eyes all got big. Matt said quietly, "Whoa, she's hot," then looked around, afraid he'd been overheard.

Miranda had gotten a choppy, chin-length haircut with reddish highlights before the school year started. It had grown out to shoulder length and was back to its natural dark brown color.

She and the other soloists sang after intermission. Before intermission, the Choralettes performed several pieces of Christmas music as a group. The audience enjoyed the music and the visual presentation.

Mr. Atkinson introduced each of the soloists--Miranda, Megan Richardson, and Olivia Anderson--before each one's featured number. When he introduced Miranda, he added, "It's unusual to have more than one or two freshmen in Choralettes, and this young lady is the first freshman to be a featured soloist in the time I've been at Hillridge High School."

As the instrumentalists started the introduction, Miranda took the hand mike and strode confidently to the solo spot, front and center. She timed it well; she stopped as drummer Darius Novotny went into the last bar of the intro and raised the mike as the singers sang "Christ-maaas," the chanting background vocal that punctuates each line of the song. Miranda's first line, "The snow's coming down," rang out strong, clear, and in tune, and she knew it. Sleigh bells and tambourine were handled by singers, and Joe West's twelve-string electric guitar was better for the song, as he'd thought. It was hard for a four-piece rhythm section to replicate the Phil Spector Wall of Sound--Spector often used three guitars on the records he produced in the '60s--but the twelve-string had a fuller, thicker sound than a regular six-string.

By Miranda's second line, "I'm watching it fall," she was in the zone. It's difficult to describe. She heard herself singing almost as an out-of-body experience. She wasn't consciously remembering when to breathe or what the next lyric was. Her body knew what to do and was doing it.

After the third verse was the baritone saxophone solo. Jason Delap had nailed it in dress rehearsal. At the concert he walked up to position, next to Miranda, in a Santa Claus suit, as they do on the David Letterman show every year. Miranda didn't know he'd be dressed that way, and her surprise and delight radiated from her face.

For the rest of the song, the audience was on its feet, clapping to the music. When it was finished, they gave Miranda and the Choralettes a standing ovation.


End file.
